Sheffield angler Chris Grimmer landed this beast while on a fishing holiday with his mates on the River Ebro, near Barcelona, Spain

And the monster netted Chris a place in the record books for the biggest albino catfish ever caught by an angler.

The 8ft beast tipped the scales at 194lbs, beating the previous record - held by a blind woman angler - by two pounds.

Chris, a 35-year-old ground worker, spent 30 minutes trying to reel in the white catfish after it took his bait.

And the fish was so big that Chris’s rod bent over double when it took his bait of halibut pellets.

Chris, a former Ecclesfield Comprehensive School pupil, said: “It took my reel and stripped it and it was then that I knew it was a big one.

“It took me ages to bring it in, it was like trying to reel in a bus.

“One of my mates went into the water to help lift it out.

“I was jumping down the bank when I realised it was a record and ended up in the water.

“I was proper tired afterwards and could hardly walk but it was worth it.”

The albino fish was returned to the water safe and well after being caught.

Ashley Scott, the guide from Catmaster Tours who organised the trip, said: “There was mayhem on the bank with people cheering and clapping. We had a bottle of champagne to celebrate and Chris poured a drop into the river for the fish.”